Hope for Freedom
by Annabeth500
Summary: Set as Miss Peregrine is growing up. Alma graduates from Miss Avocet's Academy for young ymbrynes and goes searching for young Peculiars to keep safe.
1. A Near-Death Escape

A Near-Death Escape

"Hey! Are you in there?" A voice calls over the field to the rundown house.

The girl inside the house looks up and tenses. He knows she's here. He's found her hiding place. Her hiding place from all those days of torture. She concentrates, hoping she'll have enough time to Change and escape.

"Alma! I said are you in there? You'd better come out," her brother calls. A strand of blue black hair falls into her face. She swipes it back, trying to Change. Her acute sense of hearing tells her that Caul is on his way. She finally Changes, her Peregrine Falcon form flying up into the rafters of the old house. She rests inside a hole in the wood. She hears Caul flying in, his wings whistling in the wind. Her heart misses a beat.

What will happen if he finds her?

Pain and suffering, for sure.

She hears a fluttering; the tale-tale sound of Caul Changing from bird to human. The door creaks open, and she freezes, holding her breath, looking out of the hole, down at the floor. She hears Caul padding around the room, a malicious grin on his face. He goes into another room, and out of her sight.

"Alma?" he calls sweetly. He comes back into Alma's sight, and she can see the sickly sweet grin on his face.

"I'm going to give you ten seconds to come out. Otherwise, I'm coming for you. And you know what's going to happen after that, don't you?" Caul starts counting.

He's right. She does know what he's going to do to her if he finds her. He's always been jealous of her powers as an Ymbryne. She knows he's going to find her and hurt her. She knows she has one chance to get away. She looks for a hole in the roof, searching franticly. She sees one, about ten feet away, and wonders if she can fit through it. She decides she has to try, and inches her way out of the hole. Caul has finished counting, and has changed into bird form. It's now or never. Alma propels herself off the edge of the hole, and up towards the gap in the roof. She makes little noise, and Caul doesn't notice her. Yet.

She flies up, out of the hole and into the grey, misty sky, cawing with victory. She hears Caul give a shout of rage.

"I'll find you! You prissy good for nothing! I'll find you, and I will hurt you," he shouts, his voice echoing in the broken down old house.


	2. The Pocket Watch

The Pocket-Watch

Alma opens her eyes, waking from her dreams. She then remembers the events of the day before. Caul finding her only safe haven, having to escape him, getting back to the Academy and then finding her other brother, Myron, lying in wait for her. He then called on Caul to do the dirty work. She rubs the bruises on her arms, Caul's way of torturing her into say where she'd been. She didn't give in. She'd never give in.

She slips into a thin white dress, the dress code in Miss Avocet's loop for young ymbrynes. To avoid separation, Alma's brothers stayed with her, even though this was an all girl academy. Boys were never ymbrynes.

Alma winces, remembering the first few days at the Academy. Caul gave her absolute torture for being able to hone her powers as an ymbryne. She shakes her head, her painful memories disappearing into the back of her mind. Alma makes her way to the drawing room; breakfast is served in the drawing room at 7:35am sharp every day. Miss Avocet is very stringent on being on time, and Alma is happy with that; she herself is a stickler for being punctual.

Alma walks to the breakfast table. She sees Caul and Myron staring at her. All the other girls turn to watch her walk to her brothers. She has no friends here. They all think she's a freak. A nutter. The only girl who has brothers at the Academy. She's also the youngest at the Academy by three years. All the other budding ymbrynes are jealous of her, because she was accepted three years earlier than any of them. The only friend she has at the Academy is the Headmistress, Miss Avocet.

Alma sits down, her eyes on the table, and starts quietly eating her food, looking at neither the girls, or her brothers. Her brothers say nothing of the events of the night before. Once she is finished, she takes her bowl and cup to the kitchen, congratulates the cook on a wonderful meal and steps upstairs to the balcony; she has private lessons with Miss Avocet immediately after breakfast.

"Good morning, my child," Miss Avocet says, smiling warmly at Alma. Alma instantly relaxes, and she feels as though her life may not end in disaster. She smiles back at Miss Avocet and takes her place across from her teacher on the balcony.

"Now, child," Miss Avocet begins, "I believe that you are my most promising student at the Academy. So, I think, it is time for you to start Loop training."

Alma's eyes widen in surprise. Loop training was for girls who were very advanced student ymbrynes. She feels a prickle of excitement make its way around her body.

"Now, Alma, you must understand that creating Loops have certain rules to them." Miss Avocet says, "one: you must always create a loop in a safe environment. For example, if I were to create a loop in a place where there was a war going on, that would be considered unsafe and unprofessional. I strongly advise against it. Two: make sure you make your loop away from normal humans. In a shack in the middle of nowhere, a deserted mine... pretty much anywhere that isn't going to be accessed by non peculiars. Three: never give your loop date to anyone who you may not trust completely. That is an important one. Now," Miss Avocet pulled a large pocket-watch from her dress pocket, "this is now yours. I have had it inscribed with you new name. Use it wisely, my child." She smiles kindly at Alma.

Alma flips the lid of the pocket-watch. Inside is written _Alma LeFay Peregrine_.

When ymbrynes get their pocket-watch, their last name changes to whatever bird they take the form of. Since Alma takes the form of a Peregrine Falcon, she now takes that name. She smiles happily. Finally! Finally she has a foolproof way of keeping hidden from her brothers. Alma can't wait to learn more.


	3. A Breakthrough

A Breakthrough

"That's right, dear, keep turning it!" Miss Avocet's voice calls over the wind. Alma turns the dial on top of her pocket-watch furiously, determined to create a loop.

They are in a field, just a little way from the Academy building. They are in the Academy loop, though, just to be safe.

She and Miss Avocet have been working together for two hours every other day for the last two years. Alma is getting very impatient. She still hasn't created a stable loop!

She grits her teeth, thinking of Caul. He'd been hurting her worse and worse as each day passes. She thinks of how this will be her hiding place.

"You're doing it, Alma, you're doing it! Just a few more turns!" Miss Avocet smiles encouragingly at Alma. Alma nods; she makes those last few turns.

She stops spinning the dial, looking around her. The wind has stopped.

"Well," says Miss Avocet, "you've created your first loop. Well done!" She hugs Alma, and Alma starts jumping up and down with excitement. Finally! Today she's done it!

"How long will my loop stay here?" she asks, wondering how many days of safety she has.

"Loops only last one full day without constant rewinding." Miss Avocet must see the disappointed look on Alma's face, because she says sternly, "I do not want you tending to this loop, Alma. I know you want safety from your brother, but you must face your enemies. You are stronger than he is. And that is quite beside the fact that you are only just a beginner. You could get swallowed up by the power of the loop and never be seen again. I would hate for that to happen to my most promising student, wouldn't I?" Alma nods, realising that Miss Avocet is right.

"Now, then. You may explore your loop for half an hour. Then, come straight back here to me. Go on now." Miss Avocet gives Alma a slight push on the back. Alma Changes into a peregrine, and she soars above Miss Avocet and the bright green grass.


	4. The Letter

The Letter

Alma walks into her bedroom, sees a piece of paper lying on her bedside table and walks over to it. She picks it up and messy writing greets her.

 _Alma,_

 _I have chosen to leave this place because Caul and I have recruited some friends to come to Siberia with us. We are going to be jointly leading them, and I know you are only fourteen, and will not understand the glory of this, but just believe me when I tell you that we are going to create equality for every human being. We are going to conduct an experiment and all will be equal. Caul has ensured that this is his main purpose, and I am happy to go along with him if we are to do some good in the world. That's all there is to it. Caul has a lead on the Library of Souls that he wants to follow up as well._

 _You didn't know it at the time, but when the other day Caul asked you if you'd want to become part of an experiment with himself and me, it was a test. A test to get you when you weren't expecting it, and see if you were worth the project. You answered "I would rather die," and left the room abruptly._

 _Now you will see what you've missed out on. I will see you again, under the circumstances of a better world._

 _Just you wait and see,_

 _your brother,_

 _-Myron._

Alma sits down heavily on the bed. As she does, scenes of the last few months come dancing into her head.

" _The Library of Souls, you know, the place mentioned in...I wonder where it is...we could take those souls and make the world a better place, hey Myron?"_

They were in the sitting room when Caul said this. Myron had always been a sickly boy, he'd always let Caul hurt Alma, and stood to the side, quietly watching.

Alma knows, though, that Caul doesn't want world peace; that isn't like him, at all. He has some other trick up his sleeve. She fears for Myron's safety, knowing that Caul would dump him to become the sole leader at the first chance he got. She shakes her head and decides that her one and only friend would help her with this; she walks to Miss Avocet's office.

"Miss Avocet?" she calls, knocking lightly on the door.

"Yes, come in," Miss Avocet calls from within the room. Alma walks in, clutching the letter tightly in her fist.

"Miss Avocet, I have a letter. It's from my brother Myron. It says that he and Caul have run away―" Alma starts spilling everything, but Miss Avocet holds her hand up for silence.

"Let me see the letter, child," Miss Avocet asks, looking grave. Alma gives her the letter, and Miss Avocet reads it quickly.

"This is just as I had feared," she says, folding the letter and giving it back to Alma.

"Just as you feared?" Alma asks. Miss Avocet motions for her to take a seat, and Alma sits on a cushioned wooden chair.

"I always worried that your brother Myron would be led on false hopes of peace. I was also worried that Caul would be the one to lead him. I could tell that Caul has wanted world domination since he was able to talk and think properly. I tried to discourage this, but... I fear, this has only increased his thirst for it. For now, my girl, there is nothing we can do. We will see...we will see what happens."


	5. The First Arrival

The First Arrival

Alma straightens, listening. She pulls a thin blanket around her thin frame, and shivers in the chill of the winter night.

Alma LeFay Peregrine is twenty six. She was released from the Academy two years ago, when she was given the full title of ymbryne. She's decided she would go into the world and look for young Peculiars who needed shelter and safety. She is still looking. Today she is at a circus in Northern England where she hopes to find some Peculiar children.

"Hello?" a voice calls through the night. Alma looks around, straining her eyes in the darkness.

"Hello? Who's there?" she calls back, standing up.

"I'm here! Help me!" The voice says. Alma sees a circus wagon a little distance away suddenly lit up by a soft glow.

Alma walks to the wagon. It is painted with bright red paint, but one side of it is open, with thick iron bars across it. Alma peers inside; a figure steps forward, and Alma can see that it is a girl, about eleven years old, with white-blonde hair, and blue eyes. She is painfully thin and has angry red sores all over her tiny frame.

"Oh, you poor child," Alma says, taking the blanket from her shoulders and pushing it through the bars to the girl, "you must be freezing! Here in the cold with nothing but a small dress!"

The girl smiles.

"Thank you," she says, removing the blanket from around herself, and pushing it back through the bars to Alma, "but I'm warm already. See?" To Alma's amazement, the girl's hands burst into flame.

"You...you're syndigast! You are peculiar!" she asks, not believing it. Here is her chance. A child to care for!

"What's your name, then?" Alma asks.

"I'm Emma Bloom," the girl stretches her hand through the bars, and Alma shakes it gently, "what's your name?"

"I'm... Miss Peregrine. Now, what are you doing here?"

"I'd better start at the beginning," Emma says, sitting on the wooden floor of the wagon cell.

"A few months ago, I started setting my bed on fire with my hands, so my parents gave me nothing but a iron frame to lie on. Then, one day, I was in the fish market, when my hands burst into flame. I stuck them in a bucket of fish to cool them off, only to thaw the fish. The fish monger was angry, and wanted me to pay for the fish, but I ran home. My mother was very superstitious and ran away, thinking I was a devil from hell. My father, however, tied me the metal bed frame I'd been using as a bed, and only fed me when he felt like it.

"It was my sister, Julia, who helped me escape. I then came to this circus, and I am performing as a fire-eater. They are all afraid of me, and keep me in here with little food. They beat me as well. Please rescue me!" Emma starts crying, and Alma puts her hand through the bars to hold the little girl's hand.

"I'll get you out of here, I promise," Alma squeezes Emma's hand tight, and then Changes into a peregrine falcon. Emma's mouth drops, but she doesn't say anything. Alma soars above the circus, and down to the entrance. She has to find the keys to the wagon cell.

Alma searches with the silence of a mouse through the wagons, which the circus people leave unlocked. There is no set of keys!

Then she sees him. A big man, sitting outside a yellow wagon smoking, is turning a key ring with tens of keys over in his hands. Alma screeches and dives towards the man. He puts his hands up to cover his face, dropping the keys as he does so. Alma snatches the keys and flies off.

"Hey! Bring them back!" the man calls. Alma pays no attention, but soars back to the wagon cell with Emma in it. She Changes into human and searches through the handful of keys for the right one. She tries them, one at a time. Then, at last, she finds the right one. A small rusty key. She opens the door, and Emma falls out, tumbling down on Alma.

"Thank you, Miss Peregrine, thank you!" she cries.

Lights start to go on all over the circus. The man must have alerted the loss of the keys.

"We'd better get out of here," Alma advises, taking the little girl's hand. It is small and cold. They run towards a nearby copse of trees. Emma starts lagging behind, tired from all the excitement. Alma hears shouting from behind them.

"Hey you! Bring that girl back! She's our property!" A rough male voice shouts. Alma keeps running, and she scoops Emma up, not wanting her to trip or fall in her exhaustion. Alma runs on. Half an hour later they finally get through the trees to a field. Alma wades through the tall grass, setting Emma down when they are a safe distance from the circus.

Emma starts to cry with exhaustion, collapsing on the soft ground with a thump. Alma puts her arm around the small girl.

"It's all going to be alright now, I promise, sweetheart," she whispers into Emma's soft blonde hair. Emma quietens, looking up at Alma with admiration.

"Thank you for saving me," she murmurs, before sinking into sleep.


	6. September 3rd, 1940

September 3, 1940

"Miss Peregrine? Where are we going? Why are we here? I'm tired. Can we stop? Do you have anything to eat?" The questions from the small group of youngsters bombard Alma. She is leading them across the tiny island to, she hopes, safety. Caul's men have been after her and the children. Her children. Her beloved children. Cairnholm, a tiny island in Wales, was where they landed a few days ago. It is September 3, 1940, in the height of the Second World War. There are planes flying over all the time, now, some good, some bad.

It is night now, and Alma is leading the children to a large house, where they will be able to take refuge.

They finally make it to the house. Alma stops and stares at it. She takes out her pocket watch, and starts twisting the dial. Then Bronwyn says, "does anyone else hear that noise?" And Alma listens.

"I hear it," says Bronwyn's brother, Victor, says. Then Alma hears it as well. The purring of engines, moving slowly.

Alma turns the dial furiously, knowing what that noise is. The plane comes into sight. A German bomber plane. It flies over the house and releases a bomb.

"It means to destroy the house!" Claire says, running to Emma. Emma picks the tiny girl up and holds her in her arms.

"We'll all be fine with Miss Peregrine," she says quietening Claire.

But Alma doesn't know if she can do it in time. The bomb flies towards the house. The children scream, and Alma holds her hand up for silence; she needs to concentrate. They all falter, looking, wide eyed, at the bomb. Alma furiously turns the dial.

She's not going to lose the children now! After all they'd been through together! She'd promised each and every one that she would keep them safe. She would keep that promise.

The bomb whistles toward the house. Alma turns the dial. At the very last second, the bomb, just feet from the house, the Loop forms. The sky brightens and then darkens, the next day having just happened on fast forward. The children all shout for joy, jumping and running around. They all come to hug Alma, who smiles, and gives them each a loving kiss on the cheek. The children run to the house, excited to find their rooms.

"How did you know about this house, Miss Peregrine?" Emma asks.

"This house was my home, a very long time ago," Alma answers, "the loop closed when, about ten years ago, Caul's men came and tried to kill all the children living there. They moved the Academy to another place. I lived in that very house, though, with _my_ headmistress, Miss Avocet. She is a great ymbryne, is Miss Avocet. Wish I could meet her again to tell her how much she has impacted my life." Alma looked over the fields, remembering the first loop she ever made, just a few minutes' walk from this spot.


	7. The Newest Arrival

The Newest Arrival

Miss Peregrine sits in her study, smoking her pipe, staring out the window at the children playing in the garden.

It is September 3, 1940, and has been for the last 76 years. The children are all the same age as they had been that first night.

"Miss Peregrine," Emma bursts into the room, "Miss Peregrine, there's a boy. In our house. But in the present day." She looks worried.

"And what about that, Emma?" Miss Peregrine asks, taking the pipe from her mouth.

"Well...he looks just like...Abe." Emma says.

"Just like Abe... well then, Emma, We must have him here. He's probably a descendant of Abe's."

"Right, Miss Peregrine," Emma says, hurrying out of the room.

There is a knock at the door, and Miss Peregrine answers it. Outside, stands Emma, Millard, Fiona and a dark-haired boy, looking very confused.

"Right on time!" she says, "Miss Peregrine, delighted to meet you."

The boy shakes her hand, "I'm Jake," he says.


End file.
